BIRMINGHAM, Alabama -- The Birmingham Police Department's Auto Theft Unit will be featured on several episodes of the TruTV show "Bait Car," the department announced today.

The first episode featuring city police will air Sunday at 7 p.m.

The show features police parking bait cars -- vehicles used to lure would-be thieves -- in areas with high rates of car theft. The cars are equipped with hidden cameras that track the suspect's movements until police shut down the vehicle with the press of a button, according to the show's website.

Sgt. Johnny Williams said the show has been following Birmingham police for about a year and are still working with the auto theft unit.

"We are excited about the Bait Car program and its impact in the apprehension of auto theft criminals in Birmingham," Police Chief A.C. Roper said in a news release.

Roper also thanked Nationwide Insurance Company, which provides Birmingham police with vehicles for such operations.

"We believe that this continued support will help our investigators bring these criminals to justice and reduce auto theft," Roper said.

The announcement comes just after The First 48 -- the A&E reality television series that followed Birmingham homicide detectives for the past three years -- left in August.